Hyderabad, Sep 7 (Representative) Vinayaka Chaturthi, the festival celebrating the birth of the elephant-headed god of wisdom, Lord Ganesha, was celebrated with great grandeur across Telangana on Saturday. Many pandals featuring Ganesha idols of various shapes and sizes were set up across Hyderabad, the focal point of the ten-day festivities. The iconic Khairatabad Maha Ganapati was unveiled in the form of ‘Sapthamukha Mahashakti Ganapati’ to mark the 70th anniversary of the celebration, with the towering idol standing at an impressive 70 feet. Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma extended his heartfelt greetings to the people on the occasion of Vinayaka Chaturthi. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy performed the first pooja at the Khairatabad Ganesh pandal. In his address, he wished the people of Telangana and praised the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsava Samithi for organizing the festival in a way that has attracted national attention over the past 70 years. He expressed pride in how the event, which began in 1954, continues to gain recognition throughout the country.
Revanth emphasized that by offering prayers to Lord Ganesh with devotion, Telangana will prosper with peace, happiness, and agricultural growth. He also commended the efforts taken to ensure smooth arrangements for the festival across the state. He mentioned that around 1.4 lakh idols have been installed in Hyderabad, with free electricity provided to Ganesha pandals upon request. The CM also acknowledged the hardships faced by people due to recent floods and heavy rains, thanking divine grace for minimizing the damage. During the event, Reddy honoured sculptor Rajendran for his contributions. He praised the Ganesh Utsava Committee for their devotion and commitment, reiterating the government’s dedication to the successful celebration of this year’s festival. Revanth remarked that it was a proud moment for him, attending the event not only as party president in the past but now as Chief Minister. AICC Telangana in-charge Deepa Das Munshi, MLA Danam Nagender, and other dignitaries were present at the event.